Connectors can provide electrical coupling between systems. For example, in a system for capturing information in an oil well, a connector can provide a path for data, such as acoustic data, between electronic modules, such as a data acquisition module, and a data communication module. Connectors used in these applications, or other applications deployed in harsh environments, fail because the connectors are unable to operate when exposed to the heat, pressure, or mechanical stresses encountered in the environment. Failure modes include both mechanical and electrical. Mechanical failures include melting and mechanical distortion. Electrical failures include contact failures due to cyclic mechanical stress. In addition to contributing to a complete system failure, a harsh environment can also cause degradation in the electrical performance or intermittent failures in a connector.